Not In the Clear, In the Woods!
by Sudden Enigma
Summary: Sousuke's class goes on a camping trip! There's the typical screwups from Sousuke, and a new version of him: letting loose and having fun! Too bad he doesn't know how to act 'normal'...Shinji and Kyoko even get their time in the spotlight!
1. Ready for Delivery?

Glad you picked this story to read, I like it a lot! This is my first fic, unless you count the ones from sixth grade that I will never speak of again. This story has a little bit of everything, so enjoy!

* * *

"Since the class trip was ruined last time," Kaname announces at a class meeting, "we are planning an..._interesting_ trip this quarter. And the thin is, the school was refunded most of the money from the last trip, so we don't have to pay!"

The class cheers and applauds, but Sousuke looks around, unsure of what's going on. After the class settles down, Kaname continues on.

"This meeting's going to be short, because everybody has the same assignments as last time. I'm not in the mood to recite the list, so I'll just put it on the table here. You can-"

She notices a single hand raised. It is none other than Sousuke. Kaname already looks annoyed, and he hasn't done anything for a while.

"What is it, Sousuke?" she moans.

"About our assignments," he starts, "Am I on garbage duty?"

"Yep," Kaname says, grinning a little, "Is that all?"

"Also, are you offering a refresher course on sorting garbage effectively?"

Kaname puts her hand on her head and sighs, "Sousuke..."

"Is that a no?" he asks innocently.

"Yes, it's a no," Kaname is starting to get really irritated, "You shouldn't need a class on how to sort trash, it's just common sense."

"But..."

That drops the hat. She storms to the back of the class, pressing her finger against Sousuke's forehead. He gets that 'uh-oh' look on his face.

"Look you melancholy military maniac," she's scolding him now! "Why don't you turn that thick head of yours off of 'Super Soldier Set on Shoot at Will' and switch it to 'Do Something Actually Useful For a Change'!"

Kaname's having a bad day. She goes on and on for a while, so...

Kaname and Sousuke head back to their apartments. As they part ways, Sousuke notices a suspicious truck outside Kaname's apartment building. Two men are unloading a large package from it. Sousuke hides his bag in some bushes and readies his gun.

He runs over and hides behind a parked car, watching the suspicious men. When they enter the building, Sousuke follows. The pair heads straight for the elevator, but there's a sign on it: "Out of Order."

"Damn," the first guy bites out, "looks like we're doing this the hard way..."

"What floor are we going to, anyway?" the other asks.

"Fourth."

_That's Kaname's floor! _Sousuke thinks. He follows them as they take the stairs, just out of view. On the fourth floor, they stop in front of Kaname's apartment.

"This is the one," one of the men says, putting down the package. He knocks on the door.

"I'll go get the truck ready," says the other as he leaves. A soon as he's out of sight...

BAM! BAM BAM!

That's when Kaname opens the door. The man falls unconscious, and falls onto Kaname, face first to her chest!

"What," Kaname's both angry and confused, "You...Wha- Um...Argh!"

She pushes him off, and his body falls limp to the floor. She notices the name tag on his shirt. "Watanabe..." She steps into the hall.

"Oh, good," Sousuke breathes a sigh of relief, "You're not hurt."

"Not hurt? Not hurt! Mr. Watanabe here is a delivery man! You know, some one who delivers packages? He's not some terrorist, and not out to get me, _the world's not out to get me!_"

_Paranoid idiot, _she says in her head.

Kaname hits Sousuke, and hits him hard. Then she storms back to her apartment, slamming the door. Instead of hearing it slam, they hear a feint grunt. She slammed the door on Mr. Watanabe!

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

She takes him into her apartment with Sousuke's help.

A short while later, there is a knock at the door. Sousuke is quick to answer. It's the other guy from the truck.

"Do you know where Shintaro is?" he asks politely.

"Inside," Kaname says from behind Sousuke, "Why don't you come in?"

Inside...

"What!" This guy starts to freak, "What happened here! Who did this!"

"Sergeant Sombers here," Kaname says, pointing at Sousuke.

"What?" Sousuke defends himself, "You're the one who slammed the door on him."

"Urgh!" Kaname gets pissed once again, "You're the one that _shot_ him!"

"Those were non-lethal rubber stun bullets. He only suffered a few bruises and a minor concussion. He'll be fine."

"Yes, and let's be thankful for that. But really Sousuke! I don't care if all you know is how to shoot a gun, just think before you shoot!"

"I guess we'll just leave you two to work this out," says one of the delivery men as the leave the apartment.

But that doesn't stop Kaname...

* * *

I don't like cliffhangers, so no chapter will have them! I want to know what you think, so replay! (shakes fist angrily) Replyyy...

On to the next chapter!


	2. Mishaps Happen to Happen

This is it! Chapter two! Things really get interesting here!I condemn you to read it!

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They are waiting at the airport to go on the trip. They're going to go camping on a small island off the coast.

"I still don't get it," Sousuke says, confused, "Why would a person want to stay outside, when better shelter is available elsewhere?"

"Like I said," Kaname answers him, "People find it fun to go camping. They can explore nature, and see things they can't find in the city."

_So romantic_...she thinks to herself with a little shine in her eyes.

"Hmm," Sousuke pauses for a second, "What kind of things do they see?"

"All sorts of things!" she says, getting excited, "Animals, plants, the sky, oh, the sky! At night, when it's clear, you can see the stars, and the moon is so bright!"

Kaname stares into space, deep in her own imagination. Sousuke thinks of what he knows about camping. _People can easily hide in the woods. A group as large as the class would be open to attack. Not good._

Later, after arriving at the campground, everybody starts setting up. Sousuke and Shinji are putting up their tent. Well, Shinji mostly. Sousuke holds up two poles, trying to fit them together.

"No, not like that," Shinji tells him, "The ones labeled 'one' fit into the ones labeled 'two,' one on each end."

Sousuke looks through a pile of poles, and Shinji goes to get a hammer to drive in the stakes. When he comes back, he finds that the tent is up, and Sousuke is nowhere in sight. He looks around for a second, then Sousuke pokes his head out of the tent.

"Mission accomplished," he says proudly, "I have successfully erected the artificial living space."

"Um, Sousuke..." Shinji starts to warn him, but too late. The wind catches the tent, and it collapses, right on Sousuke!

"Reviewing the current circumstances," he says from inside the lump of nylon on the ground, "the mission has ended in failure."

Shinji shakes his head and sighs. At that moment, Kaname and Kyoko come over. The girls laugh as they watch Sousuke try to get out of the tent, which is now a tangled mess!

"Poor Sousuke," Kyoko manages to say, being out of breath from laughing so much.

Kaname puts a hand on Sousuke's shoulder, "Here, let me help you."

He stops struggling so much, and Kaname, Kyoko, and Shinji untangle the tent. Sousuke lets out a muffled cry.

"What's up?" Kaname asks him.

"A pole poked me in the..." he pauses, "let's just say a pole poked me, and leave it at that."

"Okay..." Kaname says slowly. Kyoko and Shinji just look at each other and laugh a little.

It takes a few minutes to get Sousuke out of all the nylon. As he gets out, a pole drives hard into Shinji's foot. He jumps in pain and trips, right into Kyoko! They both fall to the ground. Shinji is quick to get up, realizing his hand was between Kyoko's legs, and she was wearing a short skirt!

"Sorry!" Shinji says, blushing, "Sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," Kyoko forgives him, getting up, "It's not like you meant to do that. _Or did you?_"

She glares at him as she says that last part. Shinji holds his hands up, waving them.

"N-no!" he shouts defensively.

During all the excitement, Sousuke searches his bag. He finds and pulls out a broken transciever.

"Damn," he growls, "This is going to come out of my paycheck..."

"I didn't know you had a job," Kyoko says, looking at Sousuke, "Where do you work?"

"Um," he stumbles, "I, uh...work for my cousin..."

"What would you use a radio for?" Shinji asks, staring at the broken device.

"My cousin..." Sousuke is unsure of what to say, "He runs events and I, uh, work security for them."

"That explains that," Kaname says, "But why is it broken?"

"I'm not quite sure," he answers, puzzled.

"The ride here _was _a little bumpy," Kyoko wonders about the possibilities.

Shinji explains it, "Possibly something heavy fell on it. That would be enough to break it."

Sousuke sighs and goes back to rummaging through his bag. He finds the manual to the tent.

"I have this..." he shows the paper.

Kaname gets a little ticked. "You mean to tell me that you had the instruction manual this whole time! Why didn't you use that in the first place?"

"I didn't think of it."

"Argh!" Kaname screams and grabs her head.

The group works together and gets the tent up. Kaname takes advantage of the opportunity to boss Sousuke around.

* * *

Again, I want your replies!They will all be mine!Chapter three will be up as soon as I get it typed, whether you like it or not! 


	3. Things Worse Than Usual

Okay, I just got back from my weekend at the Army National Gaurd, and I felt like typing up the next chapter. This is where things pick up, so continue on!

* * *

It is late evening, and everyone is just finishing up eating dinner. Shinji and Kyoko go to the outhouse, and Kaname and Sousuke start on dishes.

"Hey, Sousuke," Kaname says in a wondering tone, "What do you think of camping so far?"

"Definitely a unique experience," Sousuke responds, still focused on the dishes, "I still don't understand why were are going to sleep in tents. I could construct a much better shelter, given the supplies."

Kaname sighs, wiping dry a plate.

Shinji and Kyoko get a little lost on their way back from the outhouse.

"Where are we?" Kyoko whines.

"I'm not sure," Shinji says quietly.

"We're lost," she squeals, beginning to panic, "And it's getting dark!"

Shinji keeps his cool. "We may have an easier time finding our way back that way."

"How can you say that! If it's dark out, we can't see! If we can't see, we won't be able to find the camp!"

"Fire," Shinji explains calmly, "The light from the fire will travel farther in the dark, making it easier to see. With any luck, we'll spot it."

Kyoko calms down. "That sounds like a pretty good idea...You're so together Shinji. Almost as much as Sousuke is. Well, when he's not causing trouble, anyway."

"Really?" he says, confused, "I don't think so..."

"But you are! You knew what you were doing when we put up that tent. And now, you have the only idea of how to get back to the camp!"

"Well, I guess it's from going camping with my dad all those years ago. Now, let's find that campground!"

Shinji leads as they walk through the woods, looking for any sign of people...

Back at the camp, Sousuke is asking everybody if they'd seen Shinji. No one did. Kaname approaches him.

"I'm sure they're fine. I'll bet they'll be back any minute. You should get to bed, it's late."

"But what if they're in danger?"

"They're not. There's nothing around here that can hurt them. No other people, no large predators, nothing."

"Alright then," Sousuke still sounds worried, "Goodnight."

Kaname say goodnight and goes to her tent, Sousuke to his. But he rests uneasy. For an hour, Sousuke tries to sleep, but to no avail. Soon, he hears voices outside his tent.

"Which one?" a male voice whispers.

"I think Kaname's in that one," a female responds.

_Intruders! They're here for Kaname!_

He grabs his gun, and opens his tent. Two people in the dark are walking towards the sleeping Kaname's tent. Sousuke aims his silenced gun...

_Thoot!_

The rubber bullet hits one in the knee! He falls forward into the other, who turns around to look. They both go down and Sousuke rushes up.

"Don't move," Sousuke whispers harshly. He turns on a small flashlight to see Shinji fallen on Kyoko, his head on her breast, hand on the other. He is wincing in pain, while Kyoko lay perfectly still, looking at Shinji and blushing. Sousuke lowers his gun.

"Finally, you're ba-" Sousuke starts to say.

"Asshole!" Shinji shouts at him, "You shot me! Who let you bring that gun on the trip anyway! "I can't believe you!"

Everybody wakes up. They all look outside to see Shinji grabbing Sousuke by the collar and shaking him wildly. Kaname walks over to investigate.

"What happened?"

"So-Sousuke shot Sh-Shinji," Kyoko murmurs, "Shinji f-fell on me, and n-now..."

"I see..." Kaname says, still a little confused, "I'd go trash him myself, but Shinji's doing a pretty good job."

Kyoko remains silent. Both the girls watch as Shinji shakes Sousuke until he is out of breath. Sousuke falls backward, dizzy. Shinji stops to catch his breath.

"Bastard...I'll take my bags outside. I'm sleeping out here."

"That could be dangerous," warns Sousuke.

"I'll take my chances. I just don't want to be near you right now."

"Shinji..." Sousuke starts to argue, but stops abruptly.

Shinji ignores him and walks to the tent to get his things. Sousuke looks at his feet.

_I really messed up this time_...

Shinji puts his stuff down away from all the tents. Everybody has gone back to bed. Shinji lays down and tries to sleep, alone. A few minutes pass, and someone approaches him.

"Shinji," it's Kyoko's voice, "I thought you may want some company."

"Yeah," Shinji responds, trying to see her face in the dark.

The two talk for a while, until they fall asleep.

* * *

Wow, what could happen now? Hehehe...I won't tell you. You'll just have to read the next chapter...when I update that is.

_Too many elipses..._Damn!Another one!


	4. Sousuke: Operation Location!

And now for Chapther 4! What will happen next? Here's a hint: Shinji and Kyoko wake up together! Sousuke is missing! Something's bound to happen, so read on and find out!

* * *

The entire class is gathered around. Everyone, that is, except Sousuke. They are talking quietly amongst themselves and watching two others wake. Shinji wakes up first, noticing that a crowd is gathered around him. He tries to get up when he feels a weight on his chest. He looks to watch Kyoko wake from sleeping on him. She sits up, rubbing her eyes and putting on her glasses.

"Good morning," she greets everyone, "Are we the last ones awake?"

"Yeah," Kaname says, "unless you count Sousuke, who we haven't heard from yet."

"Maybe something's wrong," Maya suggests, "It's pretty late, and I don't think he usually sleeps this much."

"Why does it matter?" Kaname shrugs, "He hasn't been as controlled as he usually is. It's probably-"

Shinji interrupts her, "Which means he's likely to get in some serious shit."

"I thought you were angry with him."

"Yeah, but he's still my friend."

"We should find him then!" Kyoko cheers, "It's a Sousuke hunt!"

Shinji's stomach growls. "Can we eat breakfast first?"

Later, Kaname, Kyoko, and Shinji are walking through the woods.

"Any ideas on where Sousuke might go?" Kaname asks.

"Not one," Kyoko answers while stepping over a fallen branch.

"Maybe he had to piss, but got lost at some point," is Shinji's idea.

Kaname rejects the idea, saying "he's not the type." So the trio keeps walking, looking anywhere they could think of. Every once in a while, Kyoko and Shinji talk of giving up.

"No!" Kaname shouts at them, "We have to find Sousuke! He might be causing trouble, or something just as bad!"

"Kyoko talks to Shinji like she doesn't want Kaname to hear, but says it so she can, "You can tell she likes him."

"I'll say," Shinji talks in the same way, "They make a dynamic couple."

"I can hear you, you know," Kaname tells them, annoyed.

"Yeah, we know," Kyoko and Shinji speak at the same time. They look at each other for a second, then burst out laughing. Kaname just grunts and walks faster.

The trio walks for a couple of hours, not finding their lost classmate. They stop when they hear the sound of crashing waves and the air tastes a little salty. They run towards the source.

"A beach..." Kaname says in awe, "It's so beautiful..."

"Hey look!" Shinji points towards some stuff. It is a small bag, towel, and some fishing poles.

"That's his stuff, but I don't see him," Kaname moans.

"Was this beach on the map? There's no one else here..." Kyoko wonders, looking around.

Kaname sits in the sand, staring out over the water. After a few minutes, she gets an idea.

"Why don't we go swimming?"

Shinji and Kyoko agree. They all need a break from walking anyway. The girls take off their clothes, revealing the swimsuits underneath. Kaname's is a white bikini, Kyoko's a blue one-piece. Shinji is wearing his as shorts, so he takes off his shirt and kicks off his shoes. They all start running for the water, but stop suddenly.

There is someone walking in the water towards the shore! Kaname moves closer to see who, and smiles.

"Sousuke!" She shouts to the sea, waving he walks towards them.

"Kaname, what are you doing here?" Sousuke seems surprised.

"We were looking for you," Kyoko answer before Kaname can. She tries to say something...

"You left without telling anyone," Shinji beats her to it. She gets a little angry.

"I was gonna say that!" She shouts at them.

"Sorry about that," Sousuke apologizes, "It's just the fishing is best early in the morning, and no one else was awake."

"Why didn't you leave a note?" Kaname interrogates him.

"I did. I left it on the breakfast table."

"It must have blown away," Shinji explains.

"Can we get to swimming now?" Kyoko complains.

"Let's go!" Kaname runs into the water with a shout.

Once everybody's in, Kyoko splashes Shinji! He returns fire with a splash of his own, and the two wage war with each other. Poor Sousuke and Kaname get caught in the middle.

"Great!" Kaname says sarcastically, "And I was hoping not to get my hair wet..."

And then...Sousuke splashes Kaname! She looks at him, shocked.

"So-Sousuke...You...splashed me..."

"Yes," he responds slowly, "You were already soaked, so...I thought I'd have some fun."

"Damn right!" She shouts with an evil smile, "Now, I'm going to get you back for that!"

Sousuke screams and runs from her, she pursues, splashing him the whole way. It's fun for everyone!

Later, after they all calmed down, Sousuke and Kaname sit alone on the beach. They are watching the sun go down together.

"Sousuke, what made you decide to change your attitude like this?"

"You said this trip was supposed to be fun. I've decided to put aside my duty and ensure I enjoy myself."

Kaname rests her head in his shoulder. There is a moment of silence.

"Kaname," Sousuke whispers gently. When she looks up, he puts his hand on her cheek and moves his lips to meet hers, closing his eyes.

_Now everything is perfect_, is Kaname's last thought before she returns with a passionate kiss. This single moment seems to last forever...

* * *

Aww...so romantic...oddly enough, romance makes me a little sick sometimes. I'm serious, and I myself actually wrote this...but anyway, I'm running out of ideas, I only have one chapter left to type!Oh no! If you guys have any ideas, I must know! I don't want this fic to end without some kind of resolve!Aaaahhhhh! Okay, review now, then wait for the next chapter! 


	5. The Awkwardness of Being a Teenager

Okay, here's the long awaited fifth chapter! I know, I've been bad, I didn't update for a long time...I've been a busy man. Well, this is what I have to say:

**_I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!_**

Oh, and a friend said I need a disclaimer, even though I coulda sworn I did one in chapter 1 and said I'm too lazy to do more, but anyways...

**Disclaimer:**(There, happy?) I don't own the rights to Full Metal Panic! so, all those copyrights go to the right people.

* * *

It's the next morning at the campsite. Shinji and Kyoko emerge from the tent that was supposed to be for Kyoko and Kaname. They go to breakfast. Sousuke and Kaname are the last to sit down.

"Where were you last night?" Shinji asks them.

"We fells asleep on the beach," Kaname answers. Sousuke just continues eating his breakfast. Kyoko interrogates her best friend about the night, until she gets questioned.

"Maya said you and Shinji came out of the same tent," she teases the poor girl. Kyoko blushes.

"We had things to talk about," Shinji explains. He, too, is blushing.

"_Like what?_" it's Sousuke doing the teasing this time! Nobody expected it, so there's that eerie silence of surprise.

"What?" He asks, not knowing what he did wrong. The class starts talking again.

"You got laid, didn't you?"

"Who was it?"

"It was Kaname, wasn't it?"

"Damn, Sagara, you're lucky."

Kaname blushes and gets angry, "Will you all **shut** **up**!"

Nobody dares to say a word now. Needless to say, the rest of breakfast is nice and quiet. Sousuke is puzzled, Kaname embarrassed, Kyoko nervous, and Shinji...there is nothing out of the ordinary about him.

It is Shinji's and Maya's turn on dishes. Maya inquires about the truth behind the night.

"We didn't do..._that_," Shinji says, "We talked all night and only slept in the same tent."

"And the other night?"

"Nothing happened!"

"And the whole thing with Sousuke?"

"He shot me with a rubber bullet in my knee! He made me fall on Kyoko, too. Come on, what would you have done?"

"Probably the same thing," Maya gets an evil look on her face, "_Do _you want to be with Kyoko?"

"Well..." Shinji thinks for a moment, "I think so. We sure get along well. But I usually have problems when it comes to girls..."

"Really?" There's a high pitched voice behind Shinji.

He turns around, staring Kyoko right in the face! He jumps back, surprised. He hits the table, which shakes and the dish water spills onto the poor guy. He doesn't notice it, but Maya laughs hysterically. Other than that, there is an awkward silence. Shinji and Kyoko only stare into each other's eyes.

Kyoko breaks the silence and looks away. "You know, it looks like you wet your pants." She smiles a little. Shinji looks down at his pants and sighs. "This stuff always happens."

"Luckily, we were almost done," Maya says,done laughing, "Go change, I'll finish up alone."

Kaname is talking with some of her friends, trying to figure out what to do for the day. Sousuke walks up to her and asks her to follow him.

"Why?" Kaname's skeptical, "There is no danger here."

"I'd like to show you something."

"Well, I don't have anything better to do, so...okay."

Sousuke leads her through the woods. They eventually come to a meadow, with a stream running through the middle.

"Oh, wow." Kaname stands in awe.

"You said you enjoyed looking at the sky at night," Sousuke recalls, "Is this a suitable location?"

Kaname smiles and nods. She brings up the night before, worried this new Sousuke might go away. She didn't want to be left with a war-crazy, gung-ho classmate.

"I assure you," he explains, "I may go back to being more...uptight...but that doesn't mean everything will change."

"That's good," she says softly, leaning against him. As they walk back together, Sousuke slips. Kaname falls on top of him, her head not far from his knees, and he gets a good look up here skirt.

"Sousuke, you moron!"

Back in Shinji's tent, he trips trying to get his pants on. Hearing the struggle, Kyoko opens up the tent.

"Gah!" Shinji panics, looking for anything to cover up with. Nothing is around, so he just quick pulls up his pants. Kyoko watches, giggling. She's holding her camera in her hand.

"Kyoko!" Shinji screams, and chases her around the site, trying to get the camera.

* * *

I hope I get those next chapters I have written up soon, I only need to type them. Well, maybe in the next few days. I really mean it.


	6. Practical Haunt

**Disclaimer: **No! I will not say I don't own Full Metal Panic! or the characters! Never! Oh, crap, I did!

Well, anyway... RangerH talked about the 'suspense' in the last chapter, but this chappie has the real stuff. Sorta.

* * *

"...and the young couple was never seen again."

The class is gathered around a blazing fire. On student is just finishing up telling a ghost story. Kyoko is clung onto Shinji, and he holds her in comfort. Kaname had clawed her hand into Sousuke's leg early in the story, and Sousuke doesn't understand things in the story.

"Why would a person that died while lost attack innocent people?"

Kaname shakes her head. "It's just part of the story, don't worry about it."

Sousuke looks like he wants to argue, but that look soon disappears. The class disperses and goes to bed. The night is cloudy and dark. Kaname and Kyoko talk about the boys as they try to sleep.

"What's going on between you and Shinji?" Kaname asks her friend.

"We keep getting closer and closer," the petite girl responds. "What about you and Sousuke?"

Kaname blushes. "He...last night...he kissed me."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, he really surprised me."

"You liked it, didn't you?"

"Well..Oh, hell! I did, so what?"

Kyoko only giggled a little.

"What about you and Shinji? You kiss yet?"

"No...he barely admitted he likes me."

"Oh..."

"I did get to see him in his underwear, though. Even got a picture!"

The girls laugh at the thought of Shinji in just a shirt and underpants.

In their own tent, Sousuke and Shinji have a conversation about relationships. Sousuke has suggestions for Shinji.

""You should find the right time, and kiss her."

"I can't! She hasn't even said if she has those feelings about me!"

"Kaname never told me, but I still knew. I took my opportunity."

"You kissed her?"

"Affirmative. And we are closer because of it. It would seem Kyoko likes you. You should show her how you feel."

Shinji ponders the idea. Sousuke waits for a response.

"I just might do that..."

The girls have quieted down and are both now on the verge of sleeping. Something brushes up against the side of the tent, and a moan echoes on the wind. The girls jump up, fearing the worst.

"What was that?" Kyoko whimpers.

"I dunno." Kaname is still groggy from being half asleep. She sure isn't too good at waking up...

There's a howl from far away, and the ground begins to shake. The doors to the tent burst open, flailing in the wind. A strange glow spreads over the ground, and the girls scream for help.

"**_Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!_**"

Sousuke is startled from relaxing on his bed, and quickly rises and grabs his gun. He rushes out of the tent. Outside there is a odd light coming from the woods, and the wind is stronger than earlier. He runs for his charge's dwelling, to find the doors are open and flapping in the strong gusts of air.

Shinji runs behind his friend,a gun in his hand. _Just in case_...He doesn't want to use the fire arm, but will if he needs to. The duo looks inside the tent to see...no one. The tent is empty!

Shinji hears a rustling sound in the nearby bushes, so he runs for it. Sousuke tries to stop him, but fails. In the bushes, Shinji knocks a man hiding there down hard. He grunts and passes out. Another speaks up.

"Man, Kazama, you can't take a joke."

"Where's Kyoko?" Shinji's tone is harsh.

Sousuke enters the brush. He sees Shinji at a person's throat, and another on the ground.

"What have you done with Chidori and Tokiwa?"

"Sagara! They're not in their tent? We didn't see any one come out, I swear!"

Shinji let him go. He left, going into the empty tent, looking for any clues as to where the girls are. There is nothing. He leaves, bumping into Sousuke.

"They're not here..." Shinji whispers.

"It was a practical joke. They shouldn't be in danger. They will likely come back soon. We should get some rest."

The two guys sulk back to their tent, missing the girls they cared about. They got inside and turned on a light. The moment they did...

Two girls jumped out, shouting "Surprise!" It's Kaname and Kyoko! Sousuke and Shinji jump back in shock, and almost bring down the tent!

"Man!" Kaname teases the boys, "Your faces are pure white!"

"We got you good!" Kyoko can't hold it in anymore. She drops to the floor, her abdomen hurting from the hard laughter.

The guys begin to recover from the prank. Sousuke scolds them not to alert him like that. Shinji pouts in annoyance.

A crack of thunder sounds in the distance, and raindrops begin to fall, making a light pattering sound on the tent.

The girls moan, as they don't want to go back in the rain. Sousuke offers them shelter with him and Shinji, who supports his idea. The girls hesitate, but ultimately decide it's better than getting their hair wet.

They all lay down to bed. Kaname bunks in with Sousuke on his cot, and Kyoko cuddles close to Shinji. He wraps his arm around her and holds her close.

The night is a peaceful one. Everyone feels a special warm glow inside.

* * *

Well, I'll update as soon as I can. I have the end of the story written already, I just have to avoid procrastinating and get it all typed. I only have two chapters left! Oh no! But here's the good news: I may be coming up with a sequel. And there are going to be some definite plot twists, especially for those who've seen the end of the series. It'll be another romantic comedy, kinda like a monday night sitcom. 

Well, wish me luck on updating!(Crosses every finger imaginable)


	7. Coming Closer in Close Quarters

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't own Full Metal Panic! or any of it's affiliates. Only the Devil's soul.

This is it! My final update! The story is done. Only eight chapters. (these last two being posted one right after the other) I ran out of things to have happen on the trip.

* * *

The rain hadn't stopped. It's morning, and Shinji is staring at a sleeping Kyoko's face. Sousuke still sleeps with his arm around Kaname, and her lain across his chest.

Kaname opens her eyes. _It's morning_. Then she notices she is in her man's arms. A smile adorns her face, and she squeezes him tightly.

Sousuke and Kyoko are startled awake by the crack of thunder not too far away.

Sousuke instinctively reaches for his gun, but stops when he has to reach over a girl. He looks into her eyes, relaxing again and running his fingers through her hair.

With the shocking wake up call, Kyoko falls to the ground, bringing Shinji with her. The two are face to face, Shinji on top. Their cheeks are a pale red. Neither moves for what seems like eternity. Then...Shinji lowers his face, slowly approaching the girl's beneath him. Nearer, and closer, until they meet, his lips to hers.

"About time," Sousuke whispers, relieved his friend had finally made his move.

Kaname looks at him suspiciously, "What do you mean?"

"Shinji has told me on several occasions that he has feelings for Kyoko. I told him it was best for him to show those feelings. And I'm glad he did." Sousuke explains himself.

"Is that so?" Kaname is at first annoyed, but then sees the military nut was right. "Since when are you so good at relationships?"

Sousuke looks confused. "I'm not. In battle, a soldier's largest strength is his instinct. A relationship is no different."

Kaname groans his name, shaking her fist, trying to control the urge to hit him. But it is no use. She punches him, right in the jaw! Sousuke rubs the bruise to be, and Kaname quickly hugshim, apologizing.

"I'm so sorry!" she cries a little, "Even when it's something so minor, I hit you. I shouldn't. I'm sorry." she's silent until a question comes to mind. "Sousuke, I've seen you run through a barrage of enemy fire. You must be able to see it coming when I'm about to hit you. Why don't you do anything to stop it?"

Sousuke answers quickly. "If I parry your attack, there is a high probability you'd be hurt. That is not an option. While dodging your assault brings a smaller chance for injury, the chances of you getting angrier are high. I shouldn't cause unnecessary emotional stress."

She feels surprised by what he said. _He lets me hit him to_..._protect me?_ She blushes at the thought.

"It's still raining." Kyoko says noticing the sound of raindrops falling on the nylon tent. "What are we supposed to do? I don't want to go out in the rain."

Shinji searches one of his bags. He holds up a small box. "We could play cards."

The group agrees, and for the next hour, plays cards. The growling of empty stomachs upsets the fun.

"Food..." Kaname moans.

"Someone's going to have to go get some." Kyoko looks Sousuke's way.

"Um...I have emergency food rations. Will that suffice?"

"No, they taste like shit." Shinji rejects his idea.

"Good point." Sousuke nods.

"Play you for it." Kaname suggests. "Whoever's got the worst hand has to go get breakfast."

Nobody has a better idea. Somebody has to get the food, and nobody wants to leave the tent. Or eat military rations. So Shinji deals.

It's an intense game. Everyone keeps a straight face. Then it comes time to show hands...

Shinji shows a full house smiling.

"Straight flush!" Kyoko says, putting her hand down.

Kaname looks at her hand, worried she might lose. "Two pair."

Sousuke is quiet. He looks at his cards, then looks to everyone else, who are all staring. He puts his hand face down on the floor and says slowly, "I will go see about what we can eat."

He gets up to leave, but Kaname stops him. "What'd you have?"

"A pair of kings." And with that, the sergeant leaves.

Shinji picks up the cards, and looks at what Sousuke had. "Kaname..."

It has been only a minute, but Sousuke's hair is drenched. His clothes are just as soaked. He walks to the van with all the food, and rummages through, putting a large amount into a plastic bag. He then trudges back through the mud to his tent.

Sousuke is dripping wet when he gets in. He puts the bag down, and takes his shirt off. "Could someone hand me a change of clothes?" Shinji goes through Sousuke's bag. Kaname grabs a towel and puts it around her protector.

"You're going to need to dry quickly, or you're going to get sick." Kaname is really concerned as she rubs Sousuke's back with the towel.

"Yes, I know," Sousuke reassures her. :There's no need to worry."

Shinji hands him a complete set of clothes, and everybody turns around while he changes.

As soon as he's done, Kaname puts her head in the crook of his neck, and whispers in his ear. "Thank you." Sousuke looks at her, surprised.

The blue haired girl sits back, telling Sousuke, "Shinji looked at your hand. You had a royal flush. You won that hand, though you lied and said you had the worst hand. I should've gone."

He explains his logic, "It made the most sense. You don't have any other clothes in this tent, so I couldn't let you go out there. You wouldn't have been able to change into dry clothes as I did."

Kaname is overwhelmed with joy. Sousuke always think of her first. She jumps into his arms, wrapping her own around him. Kyoko settles into Shinji's lap, watching with him their best friends being so close to each other.

* * *

What are you stopping here for? Read the next and final chapter!


	8. The Mission is Over?

**Disclaimer:** This is the last chapter! Come on, you gotta realize by now I don't own jack shit.

Do I really have to tell you? Read and Enjoy

* * *

It's the next morning, and the rain is done. The two aspiring couples are eating breakfast together. They sulk about going home a little.

"So much for camping," Kaname sighs.

Kyoko tries to assure her friend. "Don't worry, Kaname. Just think, you can go home and catch up on all the T.V. shows you missed, go to the mall, and take a good hot shower!"

"I'm looking forward to all that, but...Sousuke. To him, there's more danger in the city. He'll do something stupid, I know it. Whether we're going out or not."

"I only try to protect you," Sousuke tells them.

"Why _do_ you do that?" Shinji asks of him.

"It's my..." Sousuke catches himself before he reveals the fact that he's a mercenary. "I care about her. I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

They tease Sousuke for the rest of breakfast. Then it's time to pack up. Shinji and Sousuke go put all their things in their bags and take down their tent. Kaname and Kyoko do the same. Kyoko tries to carry her bags, but they're too heavy and she struggles. Kaname leaves her behind. She starts slowly dragging the bags.

"You're going to ruin your stuff doing that," Shinji comes by and picks up her bags.

Kyoko blushes and thanks him. "What about your things?"

"Already taken care of." he says with a smile.

Over at the bus, Sousuke is arranging bags in storage. Kaname hands hers to him.

"Sousuke, what are you going to do, now that I'm almost out of high school?"

Sousuke diverts his attention to her. "I will still be there for you. I will likely take many of the same courses at the same university. For your protection, of course."

There's a pause for a moment while Kaname thinks of how devoted he is. But then, the bags shift and fall out of the compartment. They hit Sousuke in the legs on the way down. He falls, and the remaining bags land on top of him.

"Sousuke!" Kaname shouts her boyfriends name, concerned for his safety.

His voice is muffled, but she can still her him. "I'm fine, but the bags are rather heavy."

The rest of the day is spent going home. Shinji and Sousuke talk about military equipment, and the girls have a conversation about how different Sousuke is.

Kaname thinks to herself. _He may even disobey orders now_. _On second thought_..._No_.

**A week later:**

"Yes, sir. I'll be there tomorrow at zero seven hundred."

Sousuke hangs up the phone. He sits on his bed and looks at a picture. It is a photo of Kaname in his arms , the both of them smiling, not a care in the world.

_Damn, Kaname's not going to be happy about this_.

He picks up the phone and dials a familiar number. He waits for and answer, and when he gets one...

"Kaname, I have something to tell you..."

—

Sousuke is on the Tuatha de Danaan. He is sitting in the briefing room. Kalinin is standing before him.

"Sagara. Your mission to protect Miss Chidori is over. You will no longer be attending her high school. You will now be assigned to work at this facility. Here, you will observe the activities and report your findings."

Sousuke is silent. He barely is able to pay attention to the commander's words. He knows he will never see Kaname again.

"Is something the matter, Sergeant?"

Sousuke hesitates to answer. "It's nothing."

"Then you're dismissed."

Sousuke leaves the room and begins to pack his equipment. Kurz comes in to give him some company.

"What are you so down about?" he teases, "Feeling sad about your unrequited love?"

Sousuke ignores his comrade. Weber tries harder.

"She told you she hates you, didn't she?"

Still, no response. Kurz gets angry.

"Tell me, damn it!"

"I am never to return to Kaname. When I left, I told her I'd see her when I got back from my mission."

"So you didn't get to say your final farewell?"

"We kissed."

"Wha-at!"

"We were supposed to go on a date tonight."

Kurts gets all excited. He dances around, singing "Sousuke's got a girlfriend." He stops when he realizes they're never going to be together again. Sousuke stand still, staring at the equipment.

"Goodbye, Kurz." Sousuke quickly leaves the room.

Long, hard sobs fill the room. Kaname hasn't got off her bed since she got off the phone with Sousuke. _That idiot_. _He gets a mission right when we're supposed to go out_._ Maybe we were never meant to be_...

The phone rings again. The sixth time in the past hour. Kaname hadn't picked it up once. Her spirit is broken. She only knows how much she need Sousuke when he's not there.

Almost as soon as the phone stops ringing, there is a knock at the door. Kaname rolls over, but doesn't get up.

Another knock. _Go away_...Kaname starts to get annoyed. The knocking at the door doesn't stop. It takes a while, but eventually Kaname gets angry enough to go yell at whoever is at the door.

"Go away! Can't you get the idea you're not wanted here when I don't answer the door!"

"It's good to see you haven't lost your temper..."

"So-Sousuke?" Kaname forgets about being angry. "Sousuke!"

She throw herself around the man.

"I thought you had a mission."

"Never again will a mission interfere with my life"

"What do you mean?"

Sousuke hold her tighter. "I am no longer a sergeant of Mithril. I am now only Sousuke Sagara. I will always be here for you. As a friend, as more than that. Always."

"Sousuke..." The two share a kiss, sure of the other's feelings.

Kaname writes in a diary:

_My life is now whole._

_Sousuke gave up everything he had for me. He gave up the military life he knew, for a civilian one, something_ _almost completely new to him. I feel I have to help him. It won't be easy, but we'll manage. I don't know how, but we will, together._

_One thing I know for sure, though, is he loves me. As I love him._

* * *

**THE END.**

Or is it? I'm not decided on it yet, but I may be doing a sequel later on. This chapter didn't wrap up Kyoko and Shinji's story, but that leads intothe ideas I have for that sequel. Not to mention the huge plot twist! I won't tell you, though. It'll be a surprise for when I write it.

I really hope you liked this story, it was a lot of fun to write!


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